The great and the good, meanwhile, have been offering their take on the 83rd Tour de France. Five-time Tour champion Bernard Hinault, who in his role as public relations director to the Societe du Tour, follows the race every year, rates this year's Tour highly.
"Remember," says the man known throughout France as "The Badger," when the race first started everybody was expecting a big showdown between Indurain and Jalabert, but that wasn't what we got. Who'd have believed that Jalabert would abandon so soon? Then there were all the young riders, like Ullrich and Luttenberger, who achieved a phenomenal new level of performance. That needs to happen because like all sports, cycling has to find new heroes while others move towards the end of their careers. Bernard Thevenet came after Eddy Merckx, then I was the top rider, then LeMond and he in turn, was dethroned by Indurain. Next year, for sure, Ullrich will ride the Tour to win and Riis will be the favorite. That's how the wheel turns."